Blood Ties
by Rothelena
Summary: Seperated from the rest of the team, Jane and Lisbon have to fight against a gruesome serial killer- and resolve their personal problems while they're at it...Rated M for later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, I'm back! I wrote this because ep.3.15 "Red Gold" still irks me somehow- the way Jane never showed his compassion for poor agent Lisbon!_

_At the same time, this one will be a little bit ANGSTY- no happy peppy fluffy goodness here, so if you're looking for that: you won't find it here! I just want to do something more serious this time. _

_BUT: I'm still the same writer I was yesterday, so what you'll definitely find in here is SMUT! In later chapters. You're not into that at all- better not read this story._

_Disclaimer: the Mentalist is still not mine. I'm just messing around here._

Blood Ties

Chapter 1

Senior Special Agent Kimball Cho was dangerously close to losing his usually infallible composure.

The damn tension was starting to get on his nerves. Seriously.

The boss was driving everyone insane. As did her smartass consultant. Not that the latter was new.

Senior Special Agent Teresa Lisbon behaving like a spoilt brat? Big novelty.

Cho sighed.

And all of it just because those two weren't talking. Hadn't been once since Jane had been released from prison.

Cho had thought about locking both of them into an interrogation room together more than once. Have them yell at each other for some time…then they possibly would be having glorious sex in there for another couple of hours…and then: back to business.

Unfortunately, Cho was a guy who played by the rules. So he had decided to wait until his colleagues came along on their own. But his patience wouldn't last forever.

Right now, Lisbon was only barking short, clipped orders to Jane. Jane reacted with his mocking, smug, "I-so-don't give-a-damn-about-anything" remarks. Though Cho could see the utter sadness in his eyes, sometimes, when he caught his gaze before Jane could slip on his mask. Lisbon got to him. And the fair-haired consultant hurt.

But he wouldn't give in. Cho knew he nurtured an anger of his own- Jane couldn't have let Red John walk away. And Lisbon just didn't understand.

xxMentalistxx

There was no way this could have worked out differently, why wouldn't she see it? That Lisbon still insisted on the necessity of a different outcome, that she still demanded the self-righteous power of the only correct opinion in this case, irked Patrick Jane big time. She thought she was right, and that was it. She'd never stooped to hear his side. Had never even allowed him to apologize for the pain he'd caused her.

He was sorry for that. But he would never feel sorry for killing Red John.

He'd thought about leaving the CBI when he'd been forced to acknowledge that Lisbon hated him. That she made it crystal clear at every possibility that she didn't want him near her anymore.

But the truth was, he was selfish. He couldn't accept that they would part like this. He needed her. Close. Even if a glare was all he got.

He'd so much wanted her to hold him in the loneliness of his prison cell. Every night he had dreamed of her hands on his skin, her lips on his mouth. Finally, he'd felt ready to love again, and the emotions had seared his cold, numb heart. She'd become the center of his universe. He knew she wouldn't be happy about what he'd done. But her hate, her outright refusal to even consider the inevitableness of his deed had shocked him. Which didn't change the facts: that he couldn't leave her nonetheless.

She had worked her ass off to find Red John's gun. Had bailed him out like the fighter she was. And then, she had ceased to care about him. Hadn't been there when he stepped out of the prison doors. Hadn't called him. Hadn't found a word of greeting on his first day back at CBI.

Just once he had seen the earth-shattering pain in the depths of her eyes. It had burned his soul. But whenever he tried to talk to her, she yelled at him or downright ignored him. In any case, she dodged the issue. No word about what he'd done came over her lips.

So he'd retreated. Though the situation between them hurt so bad he sometimes couldn't breathe.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye while they drove through the mountains. She'd pushed her little chin up and hadn't directed a single word at him. Smug little witch. She just ignored everything that didn't fit her view of the world. Okay- he could give as good as he got.

When they reached the crime scene in the mountains close to the Californian border, Cho, Rigsby and vanPelt were already waiting for them, accompanied by the sheriff from Bishop, the town closest to the place where the victim had been found.

Cho reported what they knew:

"Name's Philicia Harton from Boomton, little village some miles from here. Aged 27. Found by a ranger this morning."

Crime of passion. The murderer always killed with 17 carefully inflicted knife wounds, only the last one fatal. But in this case, he'd cut the victim's face so badly she was hardly recognizable.

Lisbon turned to the sheriff, Maxwell Brighton.

"Anything else you can tell us about her, sheriff? ", she asked.

The older man shook his head.

"Unfortunately not, ma'am. The people from Boomton pretty much stick to themselves. Nobody from Bishop ever gets there, far as I know. Philicia came for supplies sometimes, but that's all. Never talked about herself. Very much of a loner, even for a Boomton girl."

Lisbon nodded.

"Jane?", she growled.

"She lost weight recently- hint of stretch marks on her thighs.", Jane said, "bags under her eyes- under considerable stress. The killer stalked her, I would say."

"Maybe she was generally unhappy", Lisbon snarled, voice like acid.

"Meh", Jane said, "I don't think so- she was in love. Got engaged recently."

"Okay…" Lisbon asked, "how can you tell that?"

"The killer left her the cross around her collar, though it looks very valuable", Jane answered, "but he took her ring…you can see the whiff of a line around her ring finger. Very faint, so she didn't wear it for a long time. It had a personal meaning, and the killer knew about it- that's why he took it."

Lisbon scowled at him.

"By the way", Jane remarked, "this dress is not her own."

"Why not?", Lisbon wondered, rolling her eyes at him.

"Bruises on her shins, heavily calloused hands, cuts that should have been treated but never were, extremely short fingernails and a haircut she obviously did herself- this woman was a tomboy. A tight red silk dress that looks as if it is very expensive? Certainly not hers, my dear."

Lisbon cringed at the endearment.

"That all?", she muttered.

"For the time being, yes", Jane shrugged, "maybe her diary will tell us more."

Lisbon looked at him questioningly.

"She's got ink on her fingers", he pointed out," so she wrote with a fountain pen. Most people don't use a fountain pen for filling out forms, so I bet she kept a diary."

Lisbon was still thinking about a smart reply when Rigsby asked:

"Why are we here, boss?"

Lisbon sighed.

"DA asked for our assistance. Because this looks like the deed of a serial that's been active all over California during the last year."

"What's his fingerprint?", Rigsby inquired.

"17 stab wounds, in an exact pattern, like a map. And- a fingerprint", Lisbon said softly and pointed towards a spot on the victim's shoulder.

There it was- a blood red fingerprint.

"Is it his?", Cho asked.

"No", Lisbon answered, "It's always the print of his last victim- I bet it's this time, too. He takes the right thumb of every woman he kills and uses it to make the fingerprint on the next one."

She showed them the bloody stump where Philicia's thumb had been cut off.

"And there's something else", she muttered, "this guy has murdered all over California in the last twelve months- L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, even Mojave desert. But his first victim came from Boomton, too. Just like Philicia Harton."

"So he's back home", van Pelt mused, and Lisbon nodded faintly.

"First thing, we have to question the Boomton residents." the dark-haired team-leader stated, "Rigsby, you go with me."

A tense silence ensued.

Jane crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Sure, if you can do without my assistance", he shrugged.

Lisbon almost winced. Damn, he was right- she couldn't.

"Okay, Jane", she scowled, "you'll go with me- but no funny business. Cho and Rigsby- you have a look at Philicia's home. Find that diary. Jane- let's go."

He didn't smile. And she felt a shiver course through her body when she met his icy stare.

_I told you I would get serious this time. But don't be fooled. It will get M eventually, and it will have a good ending. I'm not into evil endings at all._

_Please review, so I'll know if I should continue this one! I know this won't possibly get that many reviews, because angsty and smutty is not a popular combination, but for those of you who like that I'm posting it anyway. Tell me what you think!_


	2. Chapter 2

_LizFromItaly got me thinking and a little bit scared- I just hope I can live up to your expectations, my dear- to say the truth, I don't think that there's a satisfying way to once and for all resolve the problem Red John's murder presents, no point where they'll truly be able to understand each other. But I believe that there's something that can be strong enough to enable them to live with the conflict, to put the separating issues to rest. Am I making any sense here?_

_Well, let's get on with the story, anyway- I hope I won't disappoint anyone!_

_Right now I have the feeling that I might have been a little bit too daring with this one- but since so many of you want me to continue, I'll try._

Blood Ties

Chapter 2

More silence on the way to Boomton. Well, he would cope. His heart felt full, and Patrick Jane would have loved to spill his guts. Tell her everything that was on his mind. Kiss her in the end. Not the proper kiss of a friend. A kiss so filthy it would make her blush in places she didn't even know could change their color.

But no problem- he would stay professional and do nothing to arouse more of Ms. Know-it-all's anger.

They finally made it to Boomton- spooky town. Jane felt the tiny hairs on his neck stand on end the moment he left the car. Something was very wrong here. Looked like the scenery of a horror movie. Wary people who looked at them out of narrowed eyes. Not many people, though…Boomton consisted of one street, about 7 houses, a church- well. That was pretty much it.

They talked to the mayor- or rather to the mayor's wife, for he didn't seem to be into talking. He handed the whole word-thingy over to his spouse after about five minutes, and disappeared somewhere. Jane pursed his lips. Interesting.

The wife was awash with tears- sobbing, wringing her hands, her sentences hardly discernible. Jane frowned. Little bit strange, since she didn't know Philicia Harton all that well. She did know about the engagement, though. But she had no idea of the fiancées identity- a ranger, she thought. Never had heard his name.

When they left the house the sense of unease settled over him again.

"Well?", Lisbon asked shortly, without looking at him, "Your thoughts?"

"Both are innocent", he said, "but they hide something. Something big. She was a wreck- but not from grief, from shame. She feels guilty somehow. And he knows something, too. He's the mayor, and lets his wife handle CBI? He disappeared to hide something. Something he didn't trust her with. No wonder in her current state, though."

Lisbon thought about that. She noticed that Jane didn't seem to like the place- and she could feel it, too. The whole village felt creepy. Like a ghost town with some living people in it. Though the "living" issue was at least debatable in some cases.

In the distance, thunder crackled.

"Let's get out of here.", Lisbon said," that looks like a giant storm- and it will be here soon."

xxMentalistxx

Less than ten minutes later, as they soon found out. The street dissolved into mud under a merciless torrent of rain, and even Lisbon's SUV couldn't manage. Half an hour after the rain had started, they were stuck.

Lisbon punched the steering wheel in frustration. For some minutes everything was silent except for the thundering roar of the storm outside.

Jane checked his cell phone.

"No reception", he muttered, "What a surprise. Stay here- I'll get out and try some other locations."

Before Lisbon could stop him, he had left the car and disappeared into the flash-flood.

Lisbon shivered. Damn, now she was scared. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, and she felt the emptiness of his seat like an open wound, tearing at her insides. She impatiently scolded herself. Don't behave like a baby, agent. Stay professional.

She hoped he wouldn't do something really foolish- if he wasn't back in five minutes, she would follow him.

xxMentalistxx

Damn, the rain was bad- he was soaked in seconds. He tried his cellphone at every spot in a reasonable distance to the car, frequently slipping on the slick mud.

But finally, he got a weak signal. He called Cho.

"Cho!", he screamed into the phone, "we are stuck in the mountains! My signal's fading, we have no time! Can you locate us? Any ideas where we can spend the night?"

"We…signal…radar…emergency shelter…northwest…can't reach...rain…not subside…go…there…take…key…will…know…"

The phone went dead.

Jane sighed and went back to the car. Was that relief he saw on Lisbon's face when he opened the door? Sure it was. He contained the improper smile that threatened to show on his features.

"Obviously, there's some kind of mountain refuge to the northwest", he said, "let's try to get there. It's not safe to stay in the car. It could rain for days. We don't have food and honestly- I'm not too keen on a cramped backside. Let's get moving."

Lisbon groaned. She wanted so much to contradict him, but his remark about food had changed her mind. Her stomach was rumbling with hunger. So she stuffed her spare gun and every piece of ammunition she could find into her bag and got out of the car. She gasped when the rain hit her face. Damn, she hoped this shelter wasn't far from their location.

Jane took her hand, but she brushed his touch away. They raced onward, Lisbon following Jane's lead- certainly he would know where they had to go, he was infallible in his orientation. And sure enough, about ten minutes later the blurred contours of a small bungalow became visible through the pouring rain.

"There it is!", Jane screamed," let's hurry!"

They accelerated their steps and raced through the torrent.

Lisbon felt her feet slipping but went on, before she lost her footing completely and fell. She felt a stabbing pain in her right ankle and cried out in agony. Jane turned immediately and helped her up, she tried to get up, tried to regain her balance, but every time she moved to stand on her right foot, it hurt so much she had to bite back the tears.

"I can't walk!" she shouted.

Jane looked at her, then took her bag and put it over his shoulder. He picked Lisbon up, one arm around her back, the other one under her knees. She ignored the funny feeling in her stomach.

He ran to the little bungalow in front of them as fast as he could with the additional weight in his arms. His luck Lisbon was just such a teeny weeny piece of woman, he wasn't that much of a bear, but she was as light as a feather, so he had no problems carrying her. It felt nice in fact. The closest contact she had allowed in months, and he enjoyed it. He could almost imagine that this was where she belonged- in his arms.

There was a small paned box right next to the door. Jane squatted down, settling Lisbon onto his knees.

"I need something to bash the glass in!", he exclaimed.

Lisbon opened her bag and handed him a gun. Jane winced- but finally he grabbed it and broke the pane with its heavy handle. Lisbon took the Glock from his hands while he already fumbled to get the key- the door opened without protest, and Jane carried her inside.

Both sighed with relief when they finally entered the dark interior. The shelter was small, but much better than the car. He carefully put Lisbon down on the couch.

Jane knew that the moment the glass of this little box had been broken, an alarm had been triggered in the ranger's offices down in Bishop. Now, everyone knew where to find them. He looked out of the window.

Which didn't mean that they'd be able to get to them anytime soon.

xxMentalistxx

Rigsby's relief was palpable when the alarm started ringing. He was so glad he and Cho had made it from the mountains before the rain had started. Now Jane and Lisbon had made it to safety, too.

"That's them!", he exclaimed, "Thank god…it's a damn flash flood out there. When can we get them?"

Brighton looked thoughtfully at him.

"Not anytime soon, I'm afraid", he said eventually, "the rain can last for days. And right now, it's a hell of mud and slosh up there. No chance to get to them until Thursday. Or Friday. Wednesday if we're lucky."

"But it's Monday today!", vanPelt cried out.

"Sorry Ma'am", Brighton shook his head, "they have to stay at the shelter for some days."

"Good", Cho said calmly, not even looking up from his book, "I hope they yell at each other for some hours and then make out for the rest of the time."

Rigsby looked dumbfounded. But Grace couldn't quite hide a tiny smile.

_Okay, so far…I hope I didn't mess up already. Tell me- how do you like it so far? Please, don't expect too much of this- I'm not about to solve Bruno Heller's problems here, I'm afraid. It's just a little story I concoct, and I'm not sure how psychologically correct or even logical my conclusion will be…so please: don't be too disappointed when I fail to meet your requirements! But I promise: I will do my very best!_


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm a little bit self-conscious right now, but I try to get a grip. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to continue this- and I want to. So let's just see where this is going- and feel free to rip me apart afterwards._

Blood Ties

Chapter 3

The silence was deafening. Jane sighed. How was he supposed to fix everything that had gone wrong between them? Damn. He just hoped he didn't have to make everything just fine. Maybe they could learn to live with it….damn, he didn't make any sense. But he couldn't sure as hell go on like that.

He started to take a closer look at the bungalow while Lisbon unpacked her bag, eager to find out about the state of her guns and cell phone.

There were lots of food, most of it canned, but he could do something with it nonetheless. They wouldn't starve in here.

One bedroom- that one would be hers. In a closet he found spare clothes- white t-shirts in several sizes, along with simple white pants that looked like the ones worn by hospital staff. He rummaged through the pile until he came upon the correct size for him. There was even underwear, some unromantic white underpants for men and women. No bras. But who needed those, anyway.

He had a short shower, not wanting to use all the hot water, and toweled off. Then he put on the new clothes and went to look for Lisbon.

She was shivering badly now, her teeth chattering, but she was still working on her guns, cleaning them, making sure they were working properly.

"Hey", Jane said, "no threat here- we can play with your stuff later. Just get a shower and some of these elegant clothes, will you? I try to decide what I'll cook for dinner."

Lisbon nodded shortly. He started to examine the kitchen, opening closet doors, taking things out, humming softly, his back to her.

She got up slowly and found out that she still couldn't walk on that damn foot. So she hobbled to the bathroom on one leg, in considerable pain all the time. Damn- there was no way she could get into the shower like this. She had no choice.

"Jane!", she called out, "I could need some…assistance here, please."

He came immediately. His blond hair was still damp, the unruly curls hung into his face. He looked young and charming and… she cleared her throat against the onrush of unwanted emotions.

Jane was calmly assessing the situation before he walked out to get something- he returned with a little red plastic chair and put it into the shower stall.

"That should work", he said, "you can sit down while you shower."

He lifted her unceremoniously and sat her down onto the seat.

"I'm placing the towel here, directly next to the shower. When you're finished, just wrap it around your body, call for me, and I carry you to the bedroom." He smiled a tiny little smile but wiped it off his face almost immediately ,"I won't stare, of course."

"Sure.", she growled. Why did her insults affect him so much lately?

"You can always try to get there on your own", he shrugged, "your call, agent Lisbon."

She growled at his back when he left the bathroom.

But when she sat under the hot spray about five minutes later she started to think. They were stuck here. Maybe for days. She couldn't behave like a huffy bitch all the time- it wasn't in her. She wasn't like this. And she hated herself when she felt unable to keep her professional distance. So- this would stop now. She would start to be a team-leader again. Proper. Clipped. Effective.

She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her frame. Great, it didn't cover almost anything. But Jane was just a team member after all. Nothing special there.

"Jane!", she exclaimed, "I'm done!"

He raced to her side immediately. Not staring, just as he had promised. He picked her up without a word and carried her to the bedroom, placing her on the bed. It wasn't before he moved to straighten that she noticed how tightly her arms were wrapped around his neck. She took them away as if burned and felt the telltale blush spreading all over her.

He smiled inscrutably. And then he was gone.

The pants and shirts were all a little bit too large for her, but she found something that would work well enough. He came back when she called for him, taking her into the small living room, carefully placing her on the couch. He even got a pillow for her foot. The dark blue bruise from the sprain was clearly visible now, and he looked thoughtfully at it.

"That looks painful", he mused, "let me bandage it for you. I'll get the first-aid-kit, don't move."

She opened her mouth to stop him, then remembered her vow. Cool. Professional. That's what she was from now on.

Ha came back and sat down next to her, putting her foot in his lap. She stifled a gasp and froze. She almost felt paralyzed. He let his fingertips slide over her skin, she felt goose bumps rising all over her body.

She looked at him- she had hardly ever done this since she'd managed to survive the trial. She still couldn't believe this was reality. That she had failed to stop him. She'd always thought she would keep him from doing the unmentionable. And that she hadn't been able to, that she had been far away when he had used his gun, made her numb with anger. It was unfair. Unfair that fate hadn't given her that chance. The chance to make everything alright. Now, nothing was alright.

She knew that killing people didn't solve problems. And still he insisted on this murder being the only choice there'd been for him. He was so, so wrong.

His fingers stroked her skin while he spread a soothing ointment on the angry bruise. They were so tender, so warm. He still cared, damn him, and she had no defenses against him. He had taken a life in cold blood. And he still thought he'd done the right thing.

He caressed her with his fingers, his palm. His breath accelerated a little bit. He touched her more.

She closed her eyes. It was irresistible- nothing had felt this good in an eternity. All the suffering, the guilt, the pain, the loneliness, murder, police work, frantically searching for the lost gun, the trial…everything came to the surface, and Teresa Lisbon felt like crying.

She couldn't have let him rot in prison. But she would never acknowledge that there was something inside her, something that was far stronger than all this anger.

As soon as he had finished carefully bandaging her ankle, she pulled her foot out of his grasp. He nodded.

"Put it up", he said softly, "It will hurt less that way."

And then he was gone, leaving her bereft and confused, staring ahead into the muddy, wet dusk that swirled in front of the window.

xxMentalistxx

Jane felt bone-tired, though nothing much had happened. They'd had dinner in silence, the tension strong enough to cut it into strips.

She had turned in soon afterwards, he had carried her to the bedroom and tucked her in. She hadn't even answered him when he'd wished her a good night.

Now he sat here, feeling wrung out.

Sleep wouldn't come for him, as usual. He had a look at the books he found on a shelf in one corner of the living room. He fumbled with the radio but couldn't get a signal- none whatsoever, not even a blurred one. The apparatus was dead. Strange. He thought about Lisbon some more. Had some indecent fantasies when he started to drift off. Finally exhaustion claimed him, and he fell into a deep, mercifully dreamless slumber.

xxMentalistxx

He woke up with a start well before dawn. Had there been a sound? He listened closely for a moment, but could hear nothing but the raging storm outside.

Still, he felt strange. His instincts were on full alert now. He got up and looked after Lisbon first. She was still sleeping, looking just tiny with her disheveled hair and the sweet little pout on her lips. He sighed. He would never get over this woman. She would be his undoing. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He went to the bathroom, splashed some cold water into his face and returned to the kitchen to start coffee.

That was when he saw it.

The world blurred around its edges, for a moment everything felt unreal. His fingertips went numb. He had to force air into his lungs.

There, on the stark white cupboard door, it was.

A bloody fingerprint.

_Sooooo, next chapter up tomorrow. How did you like it? Reassure me, PLEASE!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you so much for your reviews and alerts- they mean so much to me!_

Blood Ties

Chapter 4

Blind panic gripped him like a seizure, he almost couldn't breathe, his mind shutting down. He shook his head to form a clear thought.

Then he started searching, frantically, out of his mind with nameless fear. He looked everywhere, turned everything upside down, under the bed, in every closet, no matter how small, even under the couch, until he was sure the killer wasn't anywhere in the house. Then he went around closing every shutter, locking every door, pulling the blinds on every single window. The back door wasn't bolted- the killer had gotten in there. Just stepped inside, simple as that. And he had been asleep. As had Lisbon, injured as she was. He had failed to protect her. Nausea gripped his stomach, he suddenly felt dizzy and sat down for a moment.

He looked at the fingerprint and suddenly noticed a white sheet of paper, lying neatly folded beneath the print on the kitchen counter.

He got up and retrieved it. His fingers trembled when he unfolded the sheet and read the words typed there:

_Dear Mr. Jane,_

_while I was working in your vicinity, I heard lots of things about your stunning abilities. I'm so glad I finally found someone who might be worth my attention. And how nice of you to bring me a present: Agent Lisbon is a delicious treat. I'm sure I will have lots of fun with her. _

_I'll see you soon. When it's dark and lonely up here._

Jane shivered. He felt caught up in a horrible déjà vu – Lisbon. He swallowed.

He thought about dealing with this on his own for some moments. Leave her out of it. Spare her the dread. But he knew: if he did this, he would betray her trust again. And he couldn't do this on his own. He needed her help.

And so he heard his own voice calling out before he had fully made up his mind:

"LISBON!"

He stormed into the bedroom, catching her startled gaze.

"We have a situation here.", he said and handed her the letter.

xxMentalistxx

Teresa Lisbon felt like pacing, but her sprained ankle prevented her from indulging that need. She groaned in frustration.

"We need to do something", she finally stated, "he will come for us, and we have to be ready."

Jane nodded.

"I can build some traps at every major point of entrance, "he muttered, "make sure he'll produce lots of noise when he tries to get in here."

"That sounds good." , she nodded, "I'll recheck the guns and make sure they're loaded. They're all the life insurance we have right now."

He shivered. He hated to depend on guns, but she was right, of course. Without them, they would be prey served on a plate.

They used any furniture they could find to barricade doors and windows. But Lisbon stubbornly insisted on leaving the backdoor accessible.

"We are law enforcement officers, Jane", she stated matter-of-factly, "I won't hide- I will get him. And by the way- maybe we have to get out of here fast if he manages to come in after all. When we barricade every possible escape route, we could get stuck here."

"You are injured, Lisbon", Jane said intently, "you can't play super cop if you can't walk! And, hey- I don't have to tell you what I am and what I'm not, do I?"

"I'm still a cop", she growled, "super or not. We'll wait him out- and we'll deal with him. One way or the other."

Well, he didn't like the sound of that at all.

He spent hours to build an elaborate trap at the back door. It would make so much noise they couldn't miss it when somebody came in here.

But that didn't mean they would be able to do anything to stop him from killing both of them.

He looked at Lisbon. Meeting her intent stare.

"We're most likely safe during the day", she said calmly, "no guarantee, but this guy obviously feels more on top of his game in the dark. All victims were killed in the early morning hours. Let's assume he'll stick to his pattern. That means, when the sun goes down- you'll need to carry a gun, Jane. And you need to know how to use it. From a distance."

He laughed a humorless laugh.

"You mean contrary to the time I shot my nemesis, the great Red John?", he snarled, and she flinched slightly, "Forget it, Lisbon. I'll never touch a weapon again. If you want my advice- let's barricade the back door, too. I'm not keen on playing Brave Star at all, I assure you."

"You will carry a gun, Jane", she repeated, "I'm not arguing with you. It's our duty to stop this guy before he kills more innocent women."

Jane thought about the letter and cringed slightly. What a mess.

"Okay", he sighed, "dammit- you win. What am I supposed to do?"

Lisbon got up slowly, careful not to strain her injured foot.

"Come here.", she said.

When he stood directly in front of her, so close she could feel his breath on her face, she signaled him to turn around. His breath hitched in his throat when he felt her breasts pressing against his back. This wasn't very helpful right now…

She placed the gun in his right hand, stabilizing his grip with her own. She pushed his arm upwards, straightening it in front of him. It didn't help his concentration that she put her left hand flat on his stomach- he shuddered under her touch.

"Don't be afraid, Jane", she said softly, mistaking his signs of arousal for fear, "Just aim along your arm, and hold the gun straight, think of it as an extension of your hand, okay?"

She let her hand slide over his arm.

"Look, you're good with a cue, aren't you?", she whispered, "This is not much different. An extension of your arm. And if you get into a situation where you have to use the gun- don't hesitate, Jane. Pull the trigger when you can place a clean shot. Don't worry. You'll manage."

"Okay", he said, handing her the gun, grateful to be rid of it.

She suddenly felt the urge to kiss him and barely managed to stop herself. He looked so lost and small, everything inside her longed to reach out to him. And his obvious fear of guns reassured her: no matter what she tried to tell herself- he wasn't a killer.

Jane looked at the clock over the front door. Still several hours of daylight left. About five to be precise. He turned towards her.

"Let me re-bandage your ankle", he said, "maybe I should try to tape it- that could improve your ability to walk. We should do everything we can to turn the odds in our favor. Come on."

He sat down on the couch and petted the seat next to him.

She didn't want to do that. She didn't want to be so close. But she swallowed to shoo away the clenching in her aching heart. He was right- it was sensible to attempt everything that could lessen her pain.

So she nodded and sat down, placing her foot in his lap.

_Next chapter TOMORROW! You still like it? Want to read more? Please, leave some feedback!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay, ladies...there's a lot of M in this chapter, reader beware! And if you're asking yourself how in hell they can do something like this in their current situation- I don't know it either :D..._

Blood Ties

Chapter 5

Jane touched her with utter tenderness.

"You scared?", he asked softly.

"Of him?", she snorted, "No. He's toast."

Jane chuckled. At least she was still his Lisbon.

He carefully peeled off the bandage. The bruise was still there, but it was already fading to a lightly greenish hue. He stroked her skin for a second, almost devotional, as if he tried to will the pain from her body.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She kept her eyes averted.

"Why won't you look at me, Lisbon?"

"You're not the same man anymore, Patrick Jane."

"Who is it I am now, then?", he whispered, though he already knew her answer.

"You're a killer." It was a cruel thing to say, and she knew it was a lie. But she couldn't stop the freight train thundering on in her mind. In the part of her that still wanted to hurt him as much as she'd been hurt.

"That's it, yes?", he answered calmly, almost sadly, " That's all I am for you right now? All the years we worked together side by side, the man you came to…know, the trust between us- all gone because I did what I told you all along I would do? I never lied to you, Teresa. So- I guess you loved the killer all the time."

His words took a life of their own, a presence so strong she could almost touch them, hovering through the room. Love. She stared at him, lost.

"I know, what I did was wrong from every point of view but mine. " he continued, " And I know it won't fix me. But it was the only thing I could do. And for that- I apologize to you. I apologize because I couldn't resist the unavoidable, Teresa. I couldn't resist though I knew how much I would hurt you. I'm sorry. So sorry for the pain you suffered. For, no matter that you possibly won't be able to believe me- I love you. You always were my only chance to experience happiness again. There was never anything, anyone else. You're the only one. And I know I'm selfish, but- I still want you. I can't help it."

"I should have stopped you. It would have been my duty to make you see reason. I'm as guilty as you are."

"It wasn't your fault, Teresa.", he shook his head vigorously," You couldn't have stopped me. I tried to prepare you, but…I had to wipe him out of my life. I had to make sure that he would never come back- that he would never be a threat again."

"There will always be more sadists, Jane", she whispered, "look where we are right now."

"I know", he answered," I know. But I couldn't let him walk. I know you can't understand. And I know you'll possibly never will."

"You were ready to throw your life away for him. I came out of this darn case with a bullet wound at my shoulder- and you were gone. I had fought for you like a soldier, Jane. And you were not there. Did you think about me at least once? Do you know what would have happened to me if I hadn't found that gun? If they had put you on death row- executed you eventually? Do you know what I would have become, Jane?"

He swallowed, sheer, unadulterated agony in his eyes. He mouthed the words rather than spoke them.

"Yes. And I know that alone is reason enough to hate me for the rest of your life."

"Then why can't I hate you?", she whispered.

Jane got up and knelt down before her, spreading her legs with his body.

"Don't hate me." He breathed, " I can live with it if you will never understand what I did- but please…don't hate me."

And he framed her face with his hands and kissed her.

xxMentalistxx

Lisbon's mind wandered back to the moment when Cho had told her what had happened. When she'd so much wanted to hold Jane in her arms, hold him so tight the world would be forced to stay outside. Hold him until her love changed the reality.

And she opened her mouth for his probing tongue, allowed him to intrude, bared of all defenses there might have been. His lips were soft and hot and trembled slightly and she knew he was crying before his tears wet her cheeks.

She spread her legs wider, pushing her hips against his, feeling his arousal through the thin cotton pants. She pushed her hands under his shirt, unable to leave an inch of his skin untouched, and he sobbed into her mouth when her fingers brushed against his overheated body, igniting nerve endings that had been numb and cold for so long. He shuddered when she teased his nipples, hypersensitive, so hungry for this woman he had craved so much in so many lonely, desperate nights.

He couldn't let her slip away again.

He pulled back and pushed her pants and underwear down her lower body, staring into her huge emerald eyes, the pupils dilated so much he could hardly tell the color of her irises. He got impatient with the clothes and tore them off until she was naked before him, and he clutched her tightly, ripping his own shirt away when it prevented the much needed contact with her skin. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, impregnating his senses with her taste, moaning when he felt her sweet caresses on his naked back, fingers stroking, brushing, scratching. Staking a claim.

He put his hand between her legs, testing her wetness, and felt her readiness for him immediately. Her juices were flowing freely, and she didn't try to hide it, but pushed her hips into his touch. He gasped and pushed two fingers inside her, claiming her mouth again, swallowing her cries. He pushed his pants and underwear down with one hand, freeing his aching erection, whimpering when the cool air hit the unbearably hot skin. He pushed his fingers into her again and again, their tongues dueling, she whimpered into his mouth, getting closer, closer, until she felt herself crash over the edge so forcefully everything ceased to exist for a moment. And when he felt her walls contracting around his fingers he pulled his hand back and thrust his shaft into her as deep as he could go.

Lisbon bucked against him, coming so hard her whole body went rigid. He pounded into her convulsing body, hard, fast strokes, aiming for maximum impact, keeping his lips on hers, eating up her screams of pleasure.

He kissed her frantically, filling her sweet mouth with his greedy tongue, until his need to cry out got so huge he had to break the kiss and yell with lust, throwing his head back, all the while pumping into her, until she couldn't tell where one orgasm ended and the next one began, until her whole being melted into his vigorous thrusts, and she just accepted the mind-blowing ecstasy he gave her. He held her body tight against his, feeling the tremors of her fierce climax coursing through her system, going on and on, translating into his veins, until he couldn't keep his rhythm any longer, his whole body so close to overload it hurt, and the tears streamed down his face when he came, hot seed gushing into her, filling her up, her clenching sheath milking him for more, and he spilled everything he had, moaning, weeping, so full with feelings he felt like exploding any minute.

And still there was more, tremors of sheer arousal running up and down his spine while he spend inside her, pushing his hips against hers as hard as he could, flooding her core.

He gasped with bone-melting satisfaction when his orgasm finally subsided, felt the last vibrations of her last climax all around him. She had come for him innumerable times, and he pushed his face into her shoulder and cried, cried for minutes, so grateful for this, so much he didn't fear anything right now.

When she felt as if she could breathe again, she pulled at his hair to make him look at her. She framed his wet face with her hands.

"I don't hate you", she whispered, "I love you."

And he sobbed so hard she felt the vibrations all through her body.

_Okay...I admit I liked to write this chapter if you admit you liked to read it! No, seriously: please, give me some feedback. I'm always in need of inspiration._


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks again for your encouraging reviews! So glad you're still there to read my stuff…_

Blood Ties

Chapter 6

An hour later, both were dressed again.

Jane had taped Lisbon's ankle so tightly that she was able to walk with a modicum of grace…limping badly, but standing on her own two feet at least.

Now both sat on the couch, guns next to them, both alert. But they couldn't stop touching. Her head lay on his chest, her ear close to his heart.

"You can fall asleep, Teresa", he whispered, "I will keep watch."

"You're kidding, aren't you?", she asked, "No way I'm going to sleep now."

He smiled and nodded slowly. He had expected no less.

"I love you", he said calmly, matter-of-factly, "I would give my life to keep you safe."

She nestled up against his warm body, keeping the world outside for a few precious seconds, just him and her. No need to read between the lines for once.

"Keep yourself safe then, Patrick Jane", she whispered, "I almost ceased to exist when I thought I had lost you. Don't put me through this again."

He nodded and kissed her hair, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Intertwined like this, they waited for the enemy to come.

But he didn't.

xxMentalistxx

When the sun had chased the shadows away, Patrick Jane disengaged the trap from the backdoor and stepped out onto the canopied patio.

The rain was still falling hard, pattering down with so much noise conversation was almost impossible.

He saw it immediately- couldn't look anywhere else.

On the patio's wooden floor was so much blood there could be no doubt that the person it came from was dead. And in the middle lay the skinned corpse of a small animal.

"Possibly a rabbit", Lisbon said softly behind him.

Jane nodded and closed the door.

He took extra care to rebuild the trap.

xxMentalistxx

After she had showered he re-taped her ankle.

She wore nothing but a towel wrapped around her body, and the view was- distracting.

Jane masked his fear. He hated dealing with sadists, serial killers, monsters. He liked to use his wits in a case, liked to catch the bad guys. But killers as bad as this one made him feel helpless, so much violence, so much glee while doing what they did- it left him shaking with nausea. And the fact that he had spent years to catch one of those menacing specimens didn't make him feel any better.

He was careful with her foot, his touch so tender again. It held her upright. Gave her focus. Determination. They would get through this. Both of them. And back in Sacramento, a new chapter would begin.

Jane kissed her ankle. And his lips slid upwards, trailing her shin, her calf, finally the inside of her thigh. She gasped, stiffening slightly.

"Relax, Teresa", he murmured against her skin, "I just need you right now."

Her hand closed over the couch's armrest, clutching the leather so tightly she would leave marks. Jane's lips wandered higher, higher, he nudged the towel out of the way, his hands already spreading her legs. He pulled her closer until her hips came to rest on the edge of the seat, and he brought his mouth to her hot core.

Her sweetness infused his senses, pushing the darkness out of his mind. Sharp arousal shot through her body, drenching her female flesh in seconds, and Jane lapped at the delicious liquid with soft moans of pleasure. She was delicious, and he needed more. More of this drug to keep the demons at bay. He pushed his tongue inside her, and she cried out with lust, already starting to come when his upper lip massaged the tiny nub that never failed to make her writhe in ecstasy. He thirstily drank the exquisite fluids gushing into his waiting mouth, his tongue still busy to elicit more, her walls contracting around it. He groaned so deep she could feel the tremor everywhere, and she screamed when she came again, even harder this time, her body dissolving into a mass of sexual frenzy.

He finally pulled back and looked at her with dreamy, hooded eyes, lips glistening.

"More!", she mouthed, and he nodded eagerly.

"Kneel down in front of the couch." he whispered, and he slid from the seat, allowing his hands to discard the towel and turn her around, taking extra care to keep any strain from her ankle. He pushed her hair out of the way and kissed her neck, she shuddered with delight. His chest pressed against her back, and he pulled off his shirt to allow both of them full contact. His strong hands spread her legs before he pushed down his pants and boxers, and finally his rock hard length nudged her core. She whimpered with anticipation, her head sinking down, her heated face pressed against the cool leather of the couch.

Jane paused for a moment, savoring every second.

Yes, he thought, more-I need more, too.

He entered her slowly, inch for inch, taking his time to go as deep as possible. He moved carefully at first, pulling out almost completely, pushing back in until there was no tiny space left to be filled anymore. Lisbon wailed, all nerve endings firing full force, the arousal so acute it was sheer agony. She urged him to go harder, and he didn't resist her pull, quickening his thrusts, making her whole body shake with the force. She grabbed the seat for leverage and pushed back against his thrusting hips, heightening the sensation, so close now, he pumped harder, his cock so huge inside her now, growing even larger with the onslaught of orgasm, and she came with might, all muscles in her lower body convulsing, pushing him over the edge, and he roared like a lion when his seed sloshed into her core, drenching her completely, his hot semen spilling over onto her slim thighs, and he came more, and more, his hips still moving, tears blurring his vision.

He just couldn't stop crying. Here they were, their lives in danger from a sadistic madman, and he was as happy as he hadn't been since Red John had taken his future from him. He was crazy, that was for sure.

He pulled out reluctantly, turning her in his arms, gathering her into a tight embrace.

"I'll keep watch while you shower again, my love", he whispered.

"I don't want to shower.", she murmured against his chest.

He took her face in his hands and pressed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I promise, Teresa", he breathed, "when we're back in Sacramento you can let my seed dry on your thighs- every night. But right now, we have to stay on alert. Even if it's not dark yet."

Her mind snapped back to reality. Damn, he was right. This was no honeymoon.

"I'm sorry", she said, in control again, "I'll be fast."

He swallowed the little bereft sound that almost escaped his throat when she got up and slowly limped to the bathroom.

xxMentalistxx

She watched him while he cooked.

Why was she awash with tenderness all of a sudden? No, not suddenly…his apology, so utterly unexpected, had caused all her barriers to come down. She felt open, vulnerable, raw with so many emotions she couldn't really comprehend what was happening to her.

But she just loved to look at him.

He moved slowly, gracefully, like an elegant big cat, so sexy… she silently scolded herself. They were in so much danger out here with a serial killer stalking them, and still he filled most of her thoughts. You're so stupid, Lisbon, get a grip before you have both of you killed.

They ate. Too tense to talk much.

And all across the mountains, darkness started to creep over rocks and grass and every single living soul in the vicinity.

xxMentalistxx

He was pacing. Couldn't stop to look out of the only accessible window, again and again.

She was starting to get nervous.

"Jane, please,", she said, "sit down. You're helping nobody."

He sat down for some moments, but moved to get up almost immediately. Lisbon pushed him down, straddling his hips to keep him seated.

She kissed him, her lips so warm and pliable he moaned in instant pleasure.

"Don't worry", she whispered, "we will get him."

She plundered his mouth with her hungry tongue, challenging him to duel with her, running her fingers through his glorious hair. She softly broke the kiss after some minutes.

"Better?", she asked, and he nodded slowly.

But when they approached midnight, even Lisbon started to feel nervous.

"Aww, I'm thirsty", she said and got up. Leaving her gun next to him on the couch.

"Let me get a bottle of water for you!", he exclaimed, but she just waved him off, heading for the kitchenette next to the backdoor.

"I'm not an invalid, Jane!", she snorted, opening the door of the fridge, "I'm well able to get my own…."

And with a deafening crash, all hell broke loose.

A dark shadow, huge in the soft illumination, stormed inside, making Jane's trap rattle with an earsplitting cacophony of sheer noise. The menacing shape wrapped his arm around Lisbon's neck and pushed a long, glittering knife against her throat.

Jane saw the killer's face, and the pieces started to fall into place.

He grabbed the gun next to him and got up, trembling so hard he almost lost his grip on the smooth weapon. He aimed at the ruthless killer and earned a mocking laugh.

"You know you won't shoot at me, Mr. Jane", the murderer rasped, "you're a coward- scared of guns. Perhaps even more so since you shot my colleague, Red John. And you would never endanger Ms. Lisbon's precious life. Not that you can save her- maybe it would be an act of mercy to shoot her right now. For when she'll die at my hands later, it will be slow. And utterly painful."

Jane thought fast and acted even faster.

"Well, Mr. Brockton", he said, clear and unwavering, "I had the pleasure of meeting your sister not too long ago- she misses you dearly, I'm afraid."

That got the killers attention. He blinked in confusion, his hold on the knife loosening. And Lisbon reacted without hesitation. She pushed the knife away from her neck and kicked his shins as hard as she could- then she ducked, covering her head with her arms.

And Jane did what she had told him. He didn't hesitate, aimed along his arm and shot.

Once, twice, three times.

_Okay, folks: two chapters to go! Please, REVIEW!_


	7. Chapter 7

Blood Ties

Chapter 7

The deafening sound of the exploding shots reverberated from the walls, and Jane watched in slow motion how the killer clutched his chest, his eyes going wide with surprise, before he slumped and toppled over.

Lisbon felt for a pulse as soon as she got her breathing under control. A torrent of emotions coursing through her body when she found none.

Her sole attention focused on Jane.

He stood there, trembling heavily, his arm still stretched out in front of him. Lisbon came closer, slowly, and put her hand on his arm.

"Shhhh, Patrick", she whispered, "It's okay now- you got him- you saved my life. Give me the weapon now. Please- release the gun."

Slowly, so very slowly she extricated the Glock from his rigid fingers. She threw it away and took him into her arms. Wrapping his hard body into a tight embrace. She could feel him going into shock. She had to take the brunt of it away, or he would be in serious danger.

"It's okay, Patrick", she breathed into his ear, "just stay with me…stay right here. I have you. We're safe. You saved us. The team will come for us soon. So stay strong now. Stay strong for me."

He shivered in her arms.

"I…I d-don't want to kill anymore", he stammered, and she cringed when she heard the desperation in his voice. He was no killer.

"I'm so sorry you had to do this", she whispered, kissing his cheek over and over, "I so much wish it could have been me. I love you."

He pushed his face into her neck and started to sob softly- she felt her heart breaking.

She led him to the bedroom, far away from the corpse, and forced him to lay down. He didn't resist, just followed her meekly, still shaking all over. She tucked him in, placing a soft kiss on his forehead, and grabbed one of the spare blankets.

She covered the killer's body thoroughly and looked out of the window. The rain seemed to ease up a little bit- but she wasn't sure. Damn, she hoped the team would manage to reach them soon- she was scared for Jane. And to say the truth: she just wanted to get the hell out of here.

She returned to the bedroom and slipped under the blanket beside him. She wrapped her arms around his shivering body, whispering soothing words to him, urging him to relax…his breathing quieted gradually, until she was sure he was fast asleep. She held him for the rest of the night.

But no matter how hard she tried- she wouldn't fall asleep. So she just kept watch over him, kissing his face from time to time, finding peace in his calm breathing.

xxMentalistxx

At noon, the rain stopped. A short time later the sun came out.

Jane slept for hours, Lisbon looked after him every half an hour at least, but his breathing was calm, and he should feel better when he woke up.

Part of her hoped that the team would arrive before he got up, that Jane didn't have to face the killer's corpse again, but the mountains were still muddy and wet. It would be impossible to maneuver a car in this environment for quite a while.

She went out onto the patio, carefully stepping over the body. Maybe she should check her cell phone in case the reception had improved with the weather. She looked at the mobile and found that she indeed had a signal. She called Cho immediately.

"Boss?", her agent's voice sounded over the phone.

Lisbon sighed with relief.

"Cho!", she called out, "When you come to get us, and that'll better be soon, bring the cavalry with you- short version: the Fingerprint-killer stalked us, and Jane…we had to kill him."

It was silent for a while.

"Cho? You still there?"

"Yes", Cho's calm voice came through the receiver, "Understood. We should be able to reach your location this evening, boss. The sun is drying up the mud pretty fast."

"Good to hear that", she breathed, "Jane…is pretty shaken, Cho. Make sure you bring EMTs with you, okay?"

"Got it, boss", Cho confirmed, "see you soon."

"Yes", Lisbon said softly, "I hope so."

She disconnected the call.

"Can we go home soon?"

She turned. Jane stood in the doorstep. Damn- he had stepped over the body. He was ghostly pale.

"Yes", she said, "the mud will have dried up in the evening, Cho guesses."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Do you still not hate me?", he asked softly.

Lisbon almost smiled despite the dire situation.

"I love you, Jane", she said firmly, "my feeling don't change with the weather. Come here."

He stepped out and gently took her in his arms.

"Can we stay outside until Cho comes for us?", he asked.

"We can try, Jane", she sighed, "we can try."

xxMentalistxx

When dawn set in, sirens could be heard across the mountains. Lisbon had put some chairs out on the patio. Jane hadn't gone back inside.

Cho and Rigsby got out of the SUV and approached the house, Rigsby pulling Lisbon into a bear hug as soon as he reached her-she gasped.

"Sorry, boss", Rigsby said, releasing her slowly, "but…damn, I'm glad you two are safe."

He looked at Jane.

"Did you…?", he whispered to Lisbon.

She just shook her head.

"Yes, Rigsby", Jane said, "it was me- I shot him."

"He saved my life", Lisbon said, "the killer was holding me hostage. Hadn't Jane shot him, I would be dead by now."

Rigsby nodded.

"Well done, man", he said to Jane, who could only produce a shaky half-smile.

The EMTs checked up on him, but Jane passed every test. His formidable mind had repaired itself in his sleep. The first shock had worn off. And when the body was put away into one of the cars, Jane started to relax visibly.

"Okay", Lisbon said when all the work was done, "Let's all go home."

"No", Jane cried out, "we have to go back to Boomton first!"

"Why?" Cho asked, "any doubts he was the killer?"

"No", Jane answered, "But he wasn't all alone."

_Last chapter up tomorrow, and then I'm gonna take a BREAK! Please review- there don't seem to be many readers on FFnet right now, so you few: please tell me what you think!_


	8. Epilogue

_Last chapter…I really hope some of you enjoyed this story! Thanks for all your feedback, alerts, messages- it means the world to me that you read my stuff!_

Blood Ties

Epilogue

Jane felt touchy-feely, and found it surprisingly difficult to suppress the urge. He tried not to look at agent Lisbon too much. But he felt very much like huddling against her.

Well, they would be in Sacramento soon.

He looked out of the window, watched the scenery racing by and tried to ignore his life sitting right next to him.

Cho had insisted on driving, though Lisbon had tried to talk him out of it. She felt fine, of course- his sweet little super-cop. He smiled a secret smile. Good that Cho hadn't allowed her to touch the steering wheel- there still was the possibility that she had a torn ligament. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He would make sure she'd see a doctor ASAP. And stay in bed for the weekend. He would spoil her senseless. He started to grin just thinking about it.

"When we get to Boomton", he said, "let me do the talking, okay, Lisbon?"

"Oh", she sighed, "because that's been such a smart plan in the past, or what?"

"Meh", Jane snorted, "just have a little faith for a change, Lisbon. By the way…any idea what you should say?"

"Since you never tell me anything- no."

"See?", Jane beamed, "If you don't know what to say- don't say anything at all. I have plenty to chat about with those creepy people."

Lisbon groaned. But part of her felt relieved. He seemed to feel genuinely better if he could already engage in his silly scheming again.

Half an hour later, they knocked at the mayor's door.

His distraught wife opened. She startled when she saw who was visiting this late. Jane presented a perfect smile.

"Good evening, Mrs. Holden", he said cheerfully, "Please excuse our late appearance, but we have bad news. I'm afraid your brother is deceased last night. I'm sorry for your loss."

Mrs. Holden was shocked into silence.

"Her brother?" Lisbon asked slowly.

"Yes, my dear Lisbon", Jane said jovially, "I noticed the genetic similarities the moment our killer crashed through our backdoor- and I knew his name because Mrs. Holden's maiden name is written directly above our heads on the wall of the mansion."

Everybody looked up- sure enough, there were the words "Brockton Manor" carved into the wood.

"The serial killer was your brother, ma'am?", Cho asked with grim calm.

"Yes", Mrs. Holden nodded, "Samuel. Samuel Brockton."

"When did you plan to tell us that?", Lisbon thundered.

"Oh, I don't think she planned anything like that", Jane mused, "she was pretty much ashamed for the fact that she couldn't keep her psychopathic brother locked away forever under her roof."

Lisbon looked dumbfounded.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised,", Jane said, " if Samuel had always been a pretty disturbed teenager…and right around his 15th birthday, something drastic must have happened. My guess: something with Valerie Miller, his first victim. Rape? Abduction? Torture? Ahhhh….torture. Charming. So Samuel hurt Valerie in a way that showed clearly he was a serious mental case in the making, and the whole secluded Boomton community decided not to bother law enforcement- but to lock him away. In your mansion, hmm? That was what you and your husband tried to hide the first time we visited you. You were out of your mind with despair at that time, which could have nothing to do with poor Philicia, whom you hardly knew at all. So I thought maybe your concern was for the other party involved- the killer. Everybody in Boomton looked at us as enemies- I assumed they knew something, too. They all imprisoned Samuel at your house. I bet in the attic- for he had to have a window in his cell. A window that allowed him to watch everyday life in the village. And Philicia, whom he secretly fell in love with. Your problem was that Samuel managed to escape…after, hmmm- 17 years of incarceration?"

"The number of stab wounds found on the victims!", Lisbon gasped.

"Exactly, Lisbon", Jane stated, "Once in freedom, Samuel killed Valerie and took off, using the next twelve months to murder all over California. Until he learned that Philicia had gotten engaged. Then he had to come back, to punish her for her betrayal."

Mrs. Holden nodded slowly.

"There is another problem here, dear Mrs. Holden", Jane smiled ruefully, "and that is- Samuel had to come back to Boomton to stalk Philicia. And I find it hard to believe that you didn't notice that at all."

"There have been…certain…signs of his presence lately.", the mayor's wife whispered, head hung in shame.

"And I bet you're going to tell us about all of them once we're in Sacramento, my dear", Jane said.

"Ma'am, you and your husband are arrested for obstruction of police investigations", Cho said, slapping handcuffs on Mr. and Mrs. Holden, "and concealment of criminal actions."

The sheriff transported both suspects to a holding cell.

"When did you learn all that, Jane, for god's sake?", Lisbon inquired when everything went quiet again.

"Oh, gradually, Lisbon", Jane sighed, "The pieces pretty much snapped into place when I saw the killer. But I was a little bit suspicious about this charming one-horse-town long before that."

"The killer was confused when you called him by his correct name", she murmured, "and that saved our life."

"Yes", Jane whispered softly, "I'm glad I thought of that, believe me."

They looked at each other, and there was a torrent of emotions between them. So hard not to touch. Impossible not to look.

"Let's go home", he said eventually.

She nodded.

"Let me drive, Cho", Lisbon wailed, "I'm fine!"

"Forget it, boss."

So she spent the ride to Sacramento in the back of the car next to Patrick Jane.

xxMentalistxx

Cho enjoyed the silence. The world was pitch black outside, vanPelt and Rigsby fast asleep.

When he threw a glance at the rearview mirror, he saw Jane and Lisbon looking at each other- only inches apart. His hands framed her face, his thumbs brushed over her lips.

Cho smiled a secret little smile.

He'd known it all along- yelling and great sex, that would do the trick.

And they'd solved the case to top it off, hadn't they?

**The End**


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